Pharmacies avoid homeopathy ban as government parks recommendations in Australia

Homeopathic products will continue to be sold in Australian pharmacies, despite a long-awaited review warning the government the practice could compromise the health of consumers.

The federal government has accepted just three of the 45 recommendations made by the review of Pharmacy Remuneration and Regulation delivered to Health Minister Greg Hunt in September.

Releasing the final report and its response on Thursday, the government outright rejected three recommendations and merely “noted” more than 30, including restrictions on the sale of complementary medicines and reforms to pharmacy location rules.

A national real-time electronic drug monitoring system was one of three recommendations accepted. Another five recommendations were accepted “in principle”.

Chair of the review, Monash University economics Professor Stephen King, said he was pleased the government had accepted the e-records recommendation, saying it would bring Australian pharmacy into the 21st century.

But he was disappointed it had rejected or “not taken more action” on the bulk of the recommendations aimed at protecting consumers and ensuring fairer access to vital medicines.

About Author

Dr Abha B.H.M.S is an alumni of Bharati Vidypeeth Deemed University's Homoeopathic Medical College, Pune. She has more than 10 years of clinical experience into practising homeopathy. Currently, she is Editor, The Homoeopathic Heritage and www.homeopathy360.com.